Green party set for Fianna Fail concessions

The government may this week make a commitment a climate change bill that would reduce carbon output

A CLIMATE change bill to be discussed by cabinet this week could be the first big Fianna Fail concession to the Green party when its programme for government is reviewed after the June elections.

Government sources have indicated that plans are at an advanced stage to draft a climate change bill that would set sector targets, mechanisms and the time frame for a reduction in carbon output.

It is likely that precise targets and time frames in a climate change bill would not be agreed until the outcome of the United Nations climate change convention in Copenhagen in December is clear.

The convention is a successor process to the Kyoto protocol under which signatory nations agreed that, by 2020, they would try to cut world carbon output levels to 80% of the 1990 output. There will be an attempt at Copenhagen to raise that target to 70%.